1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a multi-functional piece of jewelry such as a bracelet. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a bracelet that is adapted to receive an elastic hair band when the elastic hair band is not being worn in the hair of the wearer of the bracelet.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that people who wear their hair in the style commonly known as a ponytail or a similar style often referred to as pigtails use an elastic hair band to hold their hair in this style. Elastic hair bands are also worn in the hair for practical reasons, i.e. to keep the hair away from the wearer's face. When not being worn in the user's hair, these elastic hair bands are frequently worn around the wearer's wrist, especially in situations where the wearer does not have pockets in which to store the elastic hair band. When worn around the wrist, the elastic hair band does not present a professional, or stylish, appearance, and can result in a residual groove, or indentation, in the skin of the wearer's wrist. Further, recent reports suggest that wearing a hair band around the wearer's wrist can lead to potentially serious skin infections.
Bracelets are often worn for reasons related to fashion. While there are bracelets that carry medical or emergency contact information that are worn for practical reasons, jewelry related bracelets are worn for aesthetic, style-driven, or fashion reasons. While there are many types and styles of bracelets, in different colors and constructed from different materials, a popular style of bracelet is known as a bangle bracelet. Bangle bracelets are commonly formed in a complete, substantially circular, shape and are rigid. It is known that the wearer simply slips the bangle bracelet over the fingers and hand in order to slide it onto the wrist. U.S. Patent Application US2013/0133365 published on May 30, 2013, and issued to Zannella as U.S. Pat. No. 9,265,309 on Feb. 23, 2016, describes a bracelet with a groove and cooperating indents for receiving an elastic hair band when the elastic hair band is not being worn. However, Zannella does not include and is not adapted to include annular, decorative jewelry strand members adapted and designed to provide an additional appeal of a jewelry aesthetic.
What is missing from the art is a decorative bangle bracelet, having a functional jewelry aesthetic that provides a place to decoratively wear an elastic hair band on a wearer's wrist in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing and that functions as a form of jewelry such as a bracelet. What is further missing is such a multi-functional bracelet that has removable decorative jewelry strand members. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bangle style, or similar style bracelet that is worn as an article of jewelry that is adapted to receive an elastic hair band, in an aesthetically pleasing manner, when such elastic hair band is not being worn in the hair of the wearer.